The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-27
GRANT AND HANCOCK.
True Story of the Circumstances That Led to
Their Infringement.


Gen. James B. Fry, u. S. A., speaking to-day
of the recently published article TO the dis
agreement between Gen. Grant and Gen.. Han
cock, said to have come from a "well-known
Mai General" entitled 1.-The Grant Hancock
Tiff" said similar article appeared in New
York evening paper year ago, and that the
statements attributed to Gen. Alfred
Pleasonton. AS Gen. Pleasonton was an old
acquaintance Of Mrs. Hancock who felt much
aggrleved by the story, she wrote asking il he
had been correctly reported. He answered that
the statements had been made without his
knowledge that he had never made any such
statements, had no idea who the author was, etc.
The Washington correspondent who wrote the
story was taken to task by his editor, and re-
piled that Gen. Pleasonton did tell the story
without solicitation and purely and solely
voluntarily on his part" The substance of the
two stories that when Mrs. Grant and Mrs.
Hancock were young ladies in society in ST.
Louis as Miss Dent and Miss Russell there was
marked difference in favor of The latter in
their social positions; that the Russell family
entertained splendidly; that the Dent family
did not mingle in the society of the city, but
lived humbly and frugally; that Miss Russell
was the rich prize; that Miss Dent became just
little bit envous OF the much sought rich
young lady; that from this seed-envy--sprang
the Grant Hancock quarrel; and that said quar-
rel was precipitated at the close of the war by
Mrs. Grant forcing her husband to give her re-
venge upou the rival of her youth by turning
Gen. Hancock and his family out of quarters
and taking her into the house thus vacated.
Gen. Fry says: sslt is not true that Gen.
Grant turned Gen. Hancock ont of qnarters, OF
that the trouble between them was based upon
any question concerning quarters There was
no bad feeling between them until 1868, when
Gen. Hancock, then in New Orleans, over
ruled by Gen. Grant. The difference that then
arose was. official and though it was subse-
quenty aggravated by other official matters, it
was in time removed, and their relations
| were thereafter friendly until 1880 While
| Hancock was running for the Presidency in
| that year preacher by the name of Fowler
| published an account of an interview he had
! held with Grant in which he reported Grant as
| having said unkind and injurious things of
| Hancock. Hancock stated to his friends and
| to the rubic that he could not believe Grant
| could have been correctly reported. and that
| Grant himself would make the necessary con-
| traditions But as that'was not done Hancock
| settled down to the conclusion that Grant had
wronged him. and they ceased to be on speak
| ing terms; so they died. Their wives were in
! no respect to blame for their differences. Con-
| corning the unjust fiction relating to the eariy
| associations of Mrs Grant and Mrs. Hancock
the latter has said to me recently this attack is
unturthfnl, wanton, and unprovoked Ia it
some one has seen fit to sacrifice Mrs Grant for
| the purpose of placing me IN false position.
| The article is baseless and cruel.
| Our intercourse with the Grants remained
| perfectly cordial up to the New Orleans affair.
| knew Mrs. Grant very slightly before her mar
| riage, which took place in IS48 At that time
| | was at school. but left the summer following.
| Nellie Dent, Mrs Sharp was contemporary OF
mine. l was very fond of her, as we'll as of ole
| Mr.. and Mrs. Dent, who occupied as good q
| position in ST. Louis any one, and had quite
az good claims, in my opinion. They were hos
! pitable people. The family were not living out
of the city. but in it, very near to my own home
| and saw much of them"
| Gen. Fry adds further 'As Mrs. Grant was
| married and went out of the young society O
| ST. Louis in 1S4S and Mrs. Hancock was n
| school then and did not enter society until 1S49
| and was married in 1850 when only Is years O
age, there Is no foundation for the story of /,
| rivalry between them young ladies which lie,
| iifa